Source: Giants finalizing trade sending Soler to Braves

Source: Giants finalizing trade sending Soler to Braves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — As expected, the Giants dealt one of their big offseason additions before the MLB trade deadline. But the player who has been traded is a bit of a surprise.

The Giants are finalizing a deal to send Jorge Soler to the Atlanta Braves, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area. The news first was reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan. Robert Murray of FanSided reported, citing a source close to the deal, that they also will include reliever Luke Jackson in the trade.

The move is a way to get out from under most of the rest of Soler’s contract while also clearing up at-bats for young players, a point of emphasis for the Giants after a disappointing first four months.

Soler has come on strong lately and reached base 22 times in eight games last week, but the overall impact has not been what the Giants expected when they gave him a three-year, $42 million deal in February. Soler has a .749 OPS and is slugging just .419 with 12 homers. The initial plan was to have Soler, who hit 36 homers a year ago with the Miami Marlins, hit cleanup, but his struggles with runners in scoring position led to a change.

Soler has had some success as the leadoff hitter and is second on the team in walks, but the Giants have at times felt hamstrung by having a full-time DH who has not brought the power they expected. The 32-year-old is owed $13 million in each of the next two seasons, which the Giants are no longer responsible for.

The plan, per a source, is to use the DH spot on multiple players the rest of the year. One option at times could be Heliot Ramos, who made 68 consecutive starts through Saturday. The Giants would like to lessen the physical burden on one of their best hitters, who also has been playing center field on an everyday basis.

They also have talked internally of promoting Marco Luciano, who has taken off at the plate in July but appears to be a man without a set position at the moment. Luciano has hit six homers with an even strikeout-to-walk ratio over the past month in Triple-A while alternating between shortstop and second base. With Tyler Fitzgerald locked in at shortstop, the Giants could — and likely soon will — bring Luciano back to see some time at second base and get at-bats as the DH.

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